With their charming looks, natural texture and unbeatable durability, baskets are the perfect place to nestle everything from baby shower gifts to wine, fruit and other household items. Because baskets have become a staple of gift-giving and home décor in the modern world, it’s easy to overlook the fact that they also carry a long history that dates back thousands of years. Here’s a quick recap of how baskets made their way into your heart and home!
The First Baskets
It’s hard to tell exactly when the first basket was crafted. They were initially made from natural materials that easily decay over the years—like wood, roots and grass—so finding a perfectly preserved basket has been no easy feat for historians. But some remains have been found inFaiyum,Egypt, and scientists believe that they’re the oldest baskets ever found: 12,000 years old, to be exact! In theMiddle East, other ancient baskets that have been around for 7,000 years have also been discovered. The Sumerians used these hand-woven containers to bury their dead in 4,000 B.C., and multiple mentions of baskets are made in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Earliest Uses of Baskets
Even though we don’t know precisely when baskets came about, we do know what they were initially used for. In the days before refrigerators, plastic storage containers, pitchers and closets, man needed a place to store food, water and other personal belongings. So, different types of basket weaves were invented to accommodate different needs. For example, people who lived near the ocean designed tightly woven baskets that would hold fish and water. Others who lived in wooded areas made baskets that would hold grains and other harvested foods.
In some parts of the world, pieces of baskets have been found buried in thousand-year-old gravesites along with traces of pollen, which suggests that baskets were used in the ancient times to bring flowers and other gifts to deceased loved ones. Proof that gift baskets and flowers have been a part of important life occasions for a very long time!
When trading over far distances eventually became the norm, baskets were used to transport goods from one place to another. As a result, different basket-weaving styles were spread across borders and cultures. For example, baskets were used to package and deliver products in factories during the Industrial Revolution. They were also used to transport carrier pigeons, ammunition, food and other supplies during World War I and World War II.
As time passed and as more weaving techniques were discovered, baskets became unique art forms as well as practical necessities. And so today, baskets are collected for not only their functionality as storage containers and gift-holders, but also their one-of-a-kind beauty. So if you really want to give your loved one a truly original gift that shows you care, hand them a beautifully crafted basket loaded with their favorite goodies!
Do you know any other fun facts about baskets? Share them with us!